Bison Organic Barleywine

Brewed by Bison Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Berkeley, California USA

Bottled in 2005, from a 22 oz. bomber with a blurb along the right side of the label, stored at cellar temperature and allowed to warm up a bit before sampling in a snifter. Poured a cloudy reddish orangey amber with a small foamy, creamy off-white head, good retention, minimal amount of sticking. Fruity and malty nose, lightly cherry, plums, licorice, caramelized sugar and toffee, a touch of earthy spice. Moderate carbonation and a crisp, dry, slick, a little rough in the palate, medium bodied mouthfeel, on the lighter side of medium, airy. Different tasting barley wine, not a lot of the English fruitiness, soft, but not bright, berries and green dates, licorice, toffee with a pinch of sugar, the alcohol provides only a very low, watery warmth, only in the aftertaste could you guess this is above 9%, the strange part of the taste for me was the earthy, green wood hoppiness with a lingering bark bitterness that is not in keeping with the English style, and a dry caramel toffee finish with any sweetness destroyed by the woody bitterness from the hops. When I think of an English style barley wine I think of a smooth, lightly sweet, fruity, pleasant sipper, and this isn’t it, I am now sorry that I sent to this someone in a trade.

(Bottle 65 cl) Slightly hazy, dark amber golden with a yellowish head. Sweetish aroma of caramel and overripe fruit. Quite full-bodied with sweetish caramel malt and overripe fruit and then a somewhat raw and brutal hop bitterness in the finish - they really should work on getting some better quality hops. Not a grand Barley Wine but better than its average indicates. 250407

Bottled. (Thx. Papsoe for sharing). Orange coloured. Unclear. Dense beige head. Alcohol, sweetness, grass and light spice in the aroma. Flavour has light liqourice, is herbal and sweet and has distinct alcohol notes. Medium to full bodied. Is light bitter in the end.

Bottled. An unclear dark amber beer with a thin orange head. The aroma is sweet grassy hoppy, but also with light notes of dust and alcohol. The flavor is very sweet with strong notes of over ripe fruits, medium notes of grapefruit and dust from the hops, and light notes of alcohol.

Bottle. Murky copper. Small fizzy tan head. Nose is drenched in fruits. It’s a potpourri of fruitiness. Softer caramel and hops round out the aroma. Taste is odd. The hops try to push into the foreground but merely form an obstacle to the malt and fruit notes. The bitterness restrains too much of the caramel and fruit flavors to make this as enjoyable as hoped. Pine, citrus peels, soft caramel, sweet malts, pears, apricots and mandarin oranges all seem to have their place on the tongue. Body is slightly sticky and moderately carbonated. Overall medium feel. Finishes with more bitterness. The fruits and hops don’t blend well here either the the caramel is further stifled. Bit of toffee comes through in spots as does soft honey. This wants to be a barleywine but almost tastes like a West Coast IPA dropped into a sweet bock. It’s weird but not horrible. It’s being pulled into too many directions at one time to hit the nail on the head.

22 oz. bottle- color of dark reddish purple , with a long lasting white head - nose of oats , apricots , mangos , sour milk , and maple – different taste of prunes , sweet , oatmeal , chocolate , resin , and grapefruit - body is medium , silky , and with low carbonation – aftertaste like a porter , and some what tart – I really do not know what to think about this beer!

Bomber. Poured a clear medium brown with a reddish tint.. very poor head retention. Aroma was sweet and herbal.. darker fruits, some grainy notes, and perhaps an aire of compost… really odd, and not too pleasant. The flavor was about the same, with no appreciable substance or POP… sweet, muddled darker fruits, some alcohol warmth, and rather mild bitterness. Medium-bodied and a not-so-memorable feel on the palate. This was a bit empty and cheap-feeling.

Courtesy of Ugsmash. Modest head, light brown color. Aroma - alcohol detectable, some hop aroma. Malty, but slightly bittler on the malt-bitter ratio. Medium bodied, mildly carbonated.